Business

A bipartisan package of bills that makes boating, snowmobiling and use of other recreational vehicles safer has been approved by the Michigan House of Representatives and sent to Gov. Rick Snyder for consideration. The measures lower the lawful blood-alcohol-content level for boaters, snowmobilers and operators of off-road vehicles from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent, the same level as operators of …

A traffic signal at the intersection of South Nottawa and Congress streets will not be replaced with a four-way red flashing light, according to Sturgis municipal officials. City commissioners agreed last week to deny an engineering recommendation to change the signal. Traffic studies had shown the intersection does not meet signal standards. The majority of the board objected to making …

Strong player support pushed sales of Michigan Lottery tickets to a record of nearly $2.6 billion in the 2014 fiscal year, the 10th straight year of $2 billion-plus sales. Lottery officials say sales this year eclipsed by 4.8 percent the previous record of just under $2.48 billion set in 2013. The record sales were due primarily to a 10.5 percent increase in …

No injuries were reported Friday afternoon in a car-bus collision in Three Rivers. The incident occurred around 3:15 p.m. on West Michigan Avenue, just east of U.S. 131, according to Three Rivers Police. The Three Rivers Community Schools bus was traveling west on Michigan Avenue when a car turned left from a business on the north side of the road. …

Amazon.com and some other online retailers would have to collect Michigan’s 6 percent sales tax on purchases under legislation approved by the state Senate.  Backers say the bills would level the playing field because brick-and-mortar businesses already must assess the tax on customers.  The legislation passed Thursday heads to the Republican-led House for its consideration in the waning days of …

A 22-year-old man was arrested following a traffic-related incident Sunday. Sturgis police pulled over the driver of a Mustang near on Fawn River Road near South Centerville Road for an equipment violation. The driver of the Mustang attempted to switch into the passenger seat, and during the process, engaged the vehicle into reverse, according to police. The Mustang backed into …

Michigan lawmakers are breathing new life into bills that would force retailers such as Amazon.com to collect the state’s sales tax on Internet purchases.  The House on Tuesday prepared the legislation for a possible vote as early as Wednesday. Similar bills are pending in the Senate after a committee approved them last week.  Retailers with stores in Michigan must collect …

The St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department was called to Lockport Township in response to reports of malicious destruction of property incidents over the weekend. A sheriff’s department media release indicated deputies were called at 9 a.m. Saturday to the 16000 block of Woodland Drive, where someone used a pellet gun to shoot out the back windows of several vehicles.

A 10-year-old boy was struck and killed early Sunday near the intersection of U.S. 131 and West Michigan Avenue in Three Rivers. The boy, Trenton Holtslander, a 15-year-old sibling and their father were walking across U.S. 131 in the 100 block. The victim dropped something and as he went back to retrieve it, he was struck by a northbound van …

Three people were injured following an accident Friday night at the intersection of M-60 and U.S. 131 in Three Rivers. State police said a semi heading south on U.S. 131 struck an eastbound vehicle on M-60 that drove onto U.S. 131 and into the path of the truck around 11 p.m. The driver of the car, 57-year-old Mark Thompson of …